This invention relates to structural members and, more particularly, to a one-piece strut formed from tubular material.
Structural members such as struts are commonly used for connecting structural components and transmitting load from one component to the other. Struts are generally formed from tubular material and have flattened ends for connecting the struts to other linkages or surrounding structure. In applications such as aircraft structure, struts must be capable of withstanding high loads without failure.
Conventional struts are typically formed by flattening the ends of a tubular member. During the process the ends of the member undergo significant stress, which reduces the strength of the strut and increases the likelihood of fatigue failure. The flattened high stressed areas are locations where cracks may initiate and lead to catastrophic failure of the strut under high load conditions.
Another type of strut comprises a tubular member and separate end fittings attached to the tubular member. The end fittings are typically expensive to manufacture and increase manufacturing time of the strut since they have to be connected to ends of the tubular member. The connections between the end fittings and the tubular member also create possible failure points in the strut.